An embodiment relates to power connectors, and more specifically, detection of loose power connectors.
Power connectors provide a physical connection between two electrical devices such as electrical conduit and an electrically powered component. Various systems, such as vehicles, aircraft, marine vessels, building wiring, computers, electronics, robots, etc., often include many wires, connectors, terminals, electrical harnesses that provide an electrical signal path for various systems, sub-systems, controllers, sensors, actuators, etc. For example, the electrical systems in a vehicle typically include a number of multi-terminal connectors that simultaneously connect a number of wires. The physical connection utilizes a first connector coupled to a second connector. A first respective connector will utilize at least one male terminal and the second connector will utilize at least one female terminal. In an exemplary multi-connector design, wires are electrically connected using gender specific male and female terminals. The male terminals are inserted into the female terminals when the terminal housings are joined to make the electrical connections between the wires. Various types of connections may be utilized including a spring type clip, which provides tension to between the mating terminals to assure electrical contact. Another type of connection may include the connector housing utilizing a locking feature to secure terminal-to-terminal contact via the connector housings.
The male terminals are inserted into the female terminals to make an electrical connection and transfer electrical energy from the electrical conduit to the electrically powered component. While these components utilize either a press-in connection or a locking tab connection, vibrations during operation (e.g., vehicle traveling down a bumpy road) may cause a loose connection. In certain systems such as steering systems, detection of a loose connection is important to identify before the electrical connection disconnects and power to the electrical component is lost. Various tools and techniques are known in the art to detect and localize the electrical disconnection of a vehicle connector; however, all of these known techniques are only able to determine when the electrical connection between the two terminals is lost, not when the electrical connection is starting to loosen or prior to the article connection being fully disconnected.